Hello readers! Thanks for the comments! Your kiddos and I fully enjoyed them. So today was long an hard; sometimes I was crying (yup cried already) and sometimes I was laughing so hard I started choking. The day started at the thakkars with an amazing brekky (what they call breakfast in Australia): I had two yes TWO WARM bagels. Everyone got one and then we rationed but I found seven people who didn't want another so I got two - mind you there was other food but I love me some bagels. The funny part was that Ron noticed how I like either plain or everything bagels but no other kind. I never really realized how weird that was until today haha. Then the ride started. I rode with Jan (heroman of biking), kels (my giggling goofy), lins (my rock), Sean (he should never change), and Lauren (my pick me up). Later Katie joined in and I wasn't talking much (keep reading) but I was so happy she joined because let's face it she's an awesome friend. Katie was having some knee pain and she rocked the 80 some miles lettme tell ya - anyone who knows her be even more proud now! Anyways - more about me hahaha so I started to have Achilles tendon pain around mile 15 and it kept getting bad that I cried a few times. See I'm not so ashamed to publish that here because I didn't complain, I stayed with my group (even though I slowed them down), and finished the day. I kept thinking about the common mentality between his ride and what it could be like to face cancer. Also on a personal level I thought about Link and my mom and how I could quit now but don't want to AT ALL. Yes it can be painful but who cares? I knew it would be and that's ok. This made me think of Anna lasko which really pulled me through. See she's one of my besties and she has this theory that "I'm strong like bull" so I looked the steep hills in the face and said something like "I'm gonna make you my b****". yes the hills might have kicked my butt but overall I won because I never walked my bike. So why the pain? I figured out I was pedaling wrong so it'll be an easy fix when my swelling goes down. In the ride two civilians yelled at me - long story they were in bad moods and don't like tourists. Howevs - Lauren brought my spirits up! Way way later in the ride - about five blocks from he stayover my group had a bad spill. There was traffic, a trolley, tracks, parked cars, and moving cars. Tracks took over our bikes and kels and I fell. I fell into lins - who walked away just fine. I had fight or flightish syndromes so I did t notice blood all over me. I asked if lins was okay, got off the road and went to kels. Once I saw she was a trooper I went to apply pressure. Seeing all the blood pool and run reminded me of when I cut open my hand a few months ago. I thought oh no stitches so I made katie call the van. Before we told it to come jan looked at it, calmed me, and help bandage it. We walked a few blocks and made it! Kels and I cleaned up with rufio's help and carried on with life. I went a block away and got a Philly cheese steak. Believe it family? Well I did and I will be sending a pic (I'm a picky eater for those that don't know). I couldn't tell at first if I liked it but then it was gooooooood. Afterwards came back, had a sink shower, packed up, and now bloging. Also momma g and I had some time together - finally I miss my one on one time with her (we had two classes together in the spring). She parallel parked like a champ and then we had a small heart to heart. For those that don't know her as well as I- she's amazing. Sassyness and kindness rolled into one with a heart of gold. I'm so happy to have her as one of my ride leaders cuz I couldn't think of anyone better.Ok enough with the bragging of my friends - I'm tired. So I'll end with this: manny nick named me snacks because I'm always eating and my bag is so full of food. Necessary if you ask me but whatevs! Also I gained the name of skins (thanks bones). Tomorrow will be a better day,Don't worry mom! Also sorry I didn't call today: I didn't wanna just bawl when talking to ya about ankle pain and a cut when others are probably suffering too.Sincerely,Skins/snacks